National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) U21 Northern Ireland's Sam Bates started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. U21 Austria's Frederic Gschwendtner proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 4th minute of the match, managed to save U21 Austria from getting a goal against them. Pat Zamora showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Lukas Podolski in the 7th minute of the match. 8 minutes into the match, U21 Northern Ireland's goal looked a bit too open when Lukas Podolski came free, but Pat Zamora reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 9thth minute of the game Lukas Podolski who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but U21 Northern Ireland's Pat Zamora was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Pat Zamora took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Dominic Haug, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 14th minute Lukas Podolski shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Pat Zamora saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jan-Moritz Weisheit sent away a hard shot on goal in the 32nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Frederic Gschwendtner was a little too slow when Sam Bates got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 34th minute. The score was now 1-0. Sam Bates struck a weak shot in the 37th minute. Frederic Gschwendtner didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for U21 Northern Ireland. U21 Austria's Frederic Gschwendtner proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 38th minute of the match, managed to save U21 Austria from getting a goal against them. Heiko Gräber kicked well hit freekick during the 41st minute of the match. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 1-0.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Dominic Haug was the one to do the kick off. After 51 minutes, Matthijs De Ligt mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the U21 Northern Ireland and the U21 Austria players grew even worse after the yellow card. After a rather tough play, U21 Northern Ireland's Matthijs De Ligt got a free kick in the 51st minute. After 52 played minutes U21 Northern Ireland got a freekick which was hit by Matthijs De Ligt. In the 52nd minute, Jan-Moritz Weisheit got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. In the 55th minute, Dominic Haug made a precise shot to the right of Pat Zamora. U21 Northern Ireland's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-1. Pat Zamora made an important save on a dangerous shot by Lukas Podolski in the 60th minute. In the 61st minute, Johnny Gallagher hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. U21 Northern Ireland's Paddy Elliot was substituted for Brian Kay. After a rather tough play, U21 Northern Ireland's Johnny Gallagher got a free kick in the 63rd minute. After 63 played minutes, U21 Austria's Jan-Moritz Weisheit shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Pat Zamora came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in U21 Austria reached it. Johnny Gallagher fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 66th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Frederic Gschwendtner having to interfere. U21 Austria made a substitution. Robin Schriebl replaced Dominic Haug. U21 Austria's Jörg Moratschke was substituted for Lukas Podolski. In the 75th minute Kim Louven shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Pat Zamora saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Frederic Gschwendtner took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Eric Choupo-Moting, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 87th minute, Jörg Moratschke left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The U21 Austria fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 1-3. The U21 Northern Ireland fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. U21 Austria were clearly better and deserved to take the win.